Whitefish Legacy Partners will be hosting at trail and trailhead grand opening at Woods Lake on Saturday, September 14th at 3:00 pm. Join us for cookies and juice and a walk on the newest section of the Whitefish Trail.
A total of four and a half miles of new trail, as well as a new trailhead have been completed at Woods Lake in the Beaver Lakes area. The addition of the Whitefish Trail at Woods Lake will provide users a loop trail around the lake connecting to the existing Whitefish Trail and for the first time, the Whitefish Trail will offer a Whitefish Lake vista and overlook. This 2.5 mile segment will be a great family hike to enjoy while spending the day recreating at the lake.
One of Whitefish Legacy Partners’ goals is to create a trail system that accommodates a broad base of users. By creating pockets of loop trails with multiple destinations and vistas, bikers, hikers, and equestrians will have more family friendly options for exploring different sections of the trail. Currently, Lion Mountain to Beaver Lakes offers 15 miles of through trail with a variety of stacked loops offering shorter excursions within the trail system. The entire trail system now boasts over 26 miles of trail and seven trailheads.
Trails in the Woods Lake area were constructed under the supervision of the Whitefish Trail Committee who works with contractors to complete forestry work and trail building. The trail has been designed to be aesthetically pleasing and have enjoyable “flow,” as it travels through the forest. In addition, specific design features are included to allow for easy multi-use, speed management, proper drainage and to provide adequate views upon approach to aid in passing and line of sight.
Funding for the Woods Lake trailhead and new segments of trail was acquired through federal grants, state grants, and donations from private individuals. To receive full grant funding, volunteers were recruited to assist with trail construction and goods and services were donated by local businesses. These in-kind donations provided direct matching funds required for full grant reimbursement. Whitefish Legacy Partners coordinated volunteer work days on the Woods Lake Trails in August. These community-service projects offered the public a chance to learn about trail construction and design, and allowed users to give back and help create the Whitefish Trail – an amenity this community will continue to enjoy forever.